IRGC General, pilot dead in Iran aircraft crash
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The IRGC Ground Force says the ultralight aircraft went down while conducting a combat operation as part of a military drill in the Sirkan border area, located in Sistan and Baluchestan province.
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The gyroplane that crashed in Sistan and Balouchestan, southeastern Iran, November 4, 2024 (Tasnim)
A gyroplane operated by Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Ground Force crashed Monday during a military exercise in southeastern Iran on Monday, resulting in the deaths of the pilot and a senior commander.
In a statement, the IRGC Ground Force confirmed that the ultralight aircraft went down while conducting a combat operation as part of a military drill in the Sirkan border area, located in Sistan and Balouchestan province.
The accident killed General Hamid Mazandarani, commander of the Naynava Brigade from Golestan province, and pilot Hamed Jandaqi, a member of the IRGC Ground Force.
The IRGC identified the gyroplane, a type of light aircraft with a free-spinning rotor used for lift, as a key component in their ongoing military exercises. These drills, codenamed "Martyrs of Security," have been underway in Sistan and Balouchestan since November 1.
During said exercise, the IRGC eliminated four terrorists, as reported by Tasnim news agency, who underlined that the operation targeted groups that the IRGC claims were proxy forces for hostile entities.
General Shafaei, the spokesperson for the drill, stated that IRGC units, in collaboration with the Intelligence Ministry and local police, located eight individuals involved in these terror cells, resulting in the arrest of four and the killing of four others.
Among those detained was a prominent member linked to an October 26 attack on police in Taftan, which killed 10 servicemen.
The IRGC's efforts yielded a cache of weapons and ammunition and utilized advanced combat drones and updated tactical approaches.
This operation follows heightened security measures in the region, particularly after the recent assault in Taftan, where armed militants attacked Iranian law enforcement personnel.
![In a 2021 interview with Frontline by former US special representative James Jeffrey, he says he had "engaged with [HTS] via backchannels while serving in President Trump’s State Department. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)](https://alpha-en-media.almayadeen.net/media/image/2024/12/21/b4a69f2e-8682-43e4-9d37-49482b304ab3/3.png?v=2&format=webp "In a 2021 interview with Frontline by former US special representative James Jeffrey, he says he had \"engaged with [HTS] via backchannels while serving in President Trump’s State Department. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)")
